Rue's Lullaby
by mockinjay14
Summary: I'm very hard to catch, and if they can't catch me, they can't kill me. So don't count me out. This is Rue's story, starting Reaping day. I don't own The Hunger Games, or any of it's characters.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

My eyes open slowly, but I continue to lay in my bed until all my senses return to me. Tomorrow will be a bad day but today should be fine, so I better make sure it lasts. I sit up and scan the room. All my brothers and sisters are asleep.

Tonight, I should go to the fields to see if I can get some food for my family but not til the fields are empty. Right now I have to get my siblings to school. I shake my brother James awake until he opens his eyes. I continue waking up younger siblings until I reach the youngest, Daisey, she is very little. "Why do we have to go to school today?" James finally asks me.

I look into his big brown eyes. "Why shouldn't you?" I ask him.

"Because tomorrow is the Reaping!" James whines.

The Reaping is the day that every district in Panem picks a boy and a girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen from their district to go into the Capitol of Panem for one week. There they are trained, interviewed, and prepared for The Hunger Games. The Hunger Games is a game the Capitol made up, the two children from each district are forced to fight to the death in a arena.

"Yeah tomorrow is the Reaping but not today." I tell him.

"I know but shouldn't they give us a day to relax?" James asks me.

"They do... for the people of age." I explain to him.

James is ten. Everyone but James is ready for school. "You better hurry James... Or your gonna have to go late!" I remind him. District Elven has very strict rules and being on time is one of them.

James runs around the house and throws his uniform on. "Let's go!" James yells. I grab Daisey's hand and we walk by Mrs. Arthur's house.

Mrs. Arthur usually babysits Daisey but because I don't have to go to school today we keep walking. We walk down the street. I grab Lily's hand too. "Come on guys we probably only have five minutes to get to school!" I yell. We walk faster until we reach the corner.

That's when I notice him. He is very tall and he has brown eyes and dark skin, just like me. He is standing across the street looking at us.

Being only six, Lily decides to wave at him. He smiles then looks down at his shoe lases. "Come on." I remind everyone to keep moving. We go around the corner, down the street, turn another corner and we are finally at school. I hug and kiss James, Violet, Lily, and Oliver and they run inside.

I pick Daisey up and begin walking home. Then I see him again! In the same spot too. I'm not sure what to think about him now. Is he lost? Homeless? Just board? I think he got the feeling that I was uncomfortable or something, because all he does next is turns around and walks away.

I make sure to hold Daisey tighter, protecting her from the world, and walk home. I open the door and shut it behind me. I let Daisey down and she sits on the floor. I walk up to my dresser and pick up my Mom's wooden necklace. I run my fingers on the wood, because doing this always calmed me down, it calms me down when I think about the Peackeepers who make sure the strict rules of the district are not broken. They have them in the other districts, but I don't think they are as strict as the ones in my district. I put Daisey in her crib gently, then I throw myself onto my bed. I begin running my fingers on the wood necklace and mutter to myself. "It's your first year Rue." Then I think about my family to get my mind of the Games.

My Mom and Dad work in the fields until it's very late. James is ten, Violet is eight, Lily is six, Oliver is five, and little Daisey is only two years old.

It is my first year of my name entered in the Reaping bowl. But, I have already signed up for many tessareae. A tessareae is when you sign up to put your name in the Reaping bowl extra times and in return they give you a year supply of grain for one person. Since I have a big family, you can see why my name is in there so many times. The poor usually get a lot of tessares. The rich don't need to because they can afford to buy food so they don't sign up and there name is not in there as many times.

I fall asleep. All I can dream about is the escort for District Eleven Lola Peyton's hand digging through a transparent bowl.

When I wake up I look immediately at the clock. "I have to pick up the kids!" I take Daisey out of her crib and run out the door. And sprint to school, Daisey still cradled in my arms.

I get there and everyone is waiting by the steps. "Sorry guys I fell asleep." I explain to my siblings.

"Can we just go home?" James asks in a strange tone for him.

I'm really surprised. "What's wrong James?" I ask him gently.

"I don't want to take about it!" Jame almost yells. Okay, something is upsetting him.

"Alright, lets go." I say calmly. We walk home and I close the door.

I check to make sure every one is inside. "Are you sure you don't want to talk about-" I begin.

"I'm fine Rue!" He confirms. I wonder whats bugging him. We sit in complete silence for the next hour.

"Rue why didn't you go to school today?" Lily asks me, breaking our silence.

"Because I... I...I had the day off." I finally say. Lily opens her mouth to speak but Violet begins to hum. Instead of speaking, Lily joins in. A minute goes by and I can't resist humming to so I let myself hum with them. Oliver and James join in too. There is a knock on the door. We stop humming at once. I open the door.

A Peackeeper is standing on the other side. "Oh hello." I say politely.

"Where are your parents?" he asks me.

"There still working in the fields. Sir." I say.

"How old are you miss?" he asks me.

"I'm twelve sir." I answer.

"Make sure your at the Reaping at twelve O' clock tomorrow!" he commands.

"Yes sir." I say. He walks away. I close the door. Everyday at six O' clock I go to the fields and sing a four note song and the mockingjays sing it back and everyone in the fields knows they can go home.

I tell James he is in charge until I get back. I run to the field and watch the workers for a few seconds. It looks like hard work. I sigh and begin my four note song. As I finish the mockingjays start to echo it. I smile. I love mockingjays. Workers start to wrap up and head to security. At security, Peackeepers check to make sure no one stole anything. If they did steal something, there punishment would be death.

I sigh, remembering that boy Martin, who during harvest had tried to keep his pair of glasses that help you see in the dark, they pass out to keep production going. He hid them in his pants. The Peackeepers found them, of course, and killed him on the spot. I don't know how things work in the other districts.

I notice half of the workers are gone. I race back home. I open the door to find my siblings jumping around on the little furniture we have. "Guys, calm down!" I shout. "James I put you in charge!" I yell at him. He looks down at his feet. I shake my head and pick Daisey up off the floor and put her in her crib. I make the beds, as I finish the last one Mom and Dad open the door.

"Mommy, Daddy!" Daisey shouts. We all run up to them and hug them.

"What did you do today?" My mother asks all of us while my father searches for anything we could possibly eat. We each describe our day. "I learned about The Hunger Games." Violet mumbles. Mom looks at Dad then back at us. I look into my Moms eyes. They look stressful, she looks at me and I look away.

"Well, your only eight, Violet nothing to worry about." says Mom.

Violet's eyes start to fill with tears. "What about Rue?" she manages to say.

I look down, the fear strikes me again. Tears begin to fill my eyes. I feel someone take my hand. I look up to see who it was. James. Violet walks over and takes my other hand. "Thank you." I say.

Hope fills me. I haven't been chosen yet! Why should I cry about it now? I straighten up quickly. I won't let the Capitol scare me when there is still hope!

I look over to my Dad. He frowns. "There's nothing to eat." he calls.

I look to my mother. "It's dark, let's get to bed." she says sadly.

Hours latter, I look around, everyone is asleep. I start to think about the Reaping. My name is in there a lot. I could be on my way to the Capitol this time tomorrow. If I was in The Hunger Games I could not survive. I'm only twelve. How could I make it? I start thinking about my death. If I do die, I would want a song to be fresh in my mind, I could maybe even die listening to music. But it's not like in The Hunger Games, I could convince my murderer to sing to me! How silly would that be? It won't happen. So I let positive thoughts into my head.

I can only think of a few sentences to comfort me. I still have hope. There's still hope. I smile at the word, hope. I fall asleep with the word held deeper in my heart then any knife, sword, spear, of arrow can go.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

My eyes open. Come on Rue don't be down. There is still hope. Seriously Rue? Your name is in there seven times other people my age are in there once. I get up and notice a grey dress lying next to me. My mother is siting on a chair next to me watching TV. "Dad went to get some food, Rue." my mom says without turning around. "The grey dress is for you." she says.

"Thank you." I say. I take the dress to the bathroom with me. I clean myself in the bucket as I think about what this day is like in other districts. In the first four districts the Reaping is exciting for them. People from these districts train there whole lives to be tributes in the Games. In fact, most of our Peacekeepers are from District Two. I wonder if in the districts like ten through twelve, the Reapings are sad and gloomy, like our Reapings.

I change into the grey dress and walk over to my Mom. "Oh! Rue, you look beautiful." my Mom tells me.

I smile. "Thank you." I say. I have a really big family and I'm the oldest child. So I, of course, don't get all the attention, so I really enjoy when I do. I mean I know my parents love me, they just have to many kinds who need their attention. And there is only two of them, so I can understand that they don't give me all the attention. My siblings wake up and get dressed. My dad comes home with a bag. He puts the food away and we walk to the Reaping.

When we get to the Reaping, I have to stand with the twelve year old girls. I hear heels clicking on the stage. I look up and there she is, Lola Peyton, District Elevens escort. This will be her first year as escort. The reason why I know her name is because she introduced herself last week. I heard our escorts don't introduce themselves until the Reaping.

Behind her are four chairs. One for the mayor and his wife. And one for each victor of the past games. There have only been two. Chaff and Seeder. If I were to be picked, Seeder would be my mentor, because she is District Elven's most resent victor.

"Welcome, welcome!" Lola interrupts my thoughts. I look up. "It's now time to pick one young man and woman to represent District Elven in the Seventy Fourth annual Hunger Games! Lady's first!" she says in her silly Capitol accent. She walks over to the glass bowl with the girls names in it. She puts her hand in and takes a piece of paper out, she walks back to the microphone and unfolds the paper. I close my eyes. "Rue Henderson!" My eyes open. That's me. Why me out of all those other possible names? I look around. "Well come on up sweety." she says gently. I take a deep breath and begin walking to the stage. People clear a path for me. I suddenly find myself at the top of the steps. "Would anyone like to volunteer to take Rue's place?" she asks the crowed. Hope sets in. Surely someone will. Right? Moments pace. I guess not. "Well, onto the boys!" Lola says.

All the hope has left me. It's gone a twelve year old in The Hunger Games? How could she win? She couldn't! Lola walks to the boys bowl and takes out a piece of paper. She walks to the microphone and says. "Thresh Wilton!"

I don't recognize the name. Probably better if I don't. I sigh as a tall man starts walking towards the stage.

Once he gets her I get a glimpse at his face. It's the man from yesterday! The one I saw on my way to drop my siblings off at school. "Would anyone like to volunteer to take Thresh's place?" Lola asks but no one does.

The mayor has us shake hands and Peacekeepers lead us to the Justice Building. The place I will say my final goodbyes to the people I love.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I get three minutes to say goodbye to them. I only have three minutes to say goodbye to my family. A Peacekeeper walks Daisey in. She sits on my lap as the door closes. "What's happaning?" Daisey asks me.

"I'm going on a trip." I say.

"A trip to where?" she asks without looking at me.

"Somewhere far from here, Daisey. But I need you not to cry, okay?" I ask her.

"Yeah. Okay." she replies.

"I love you." I tell her. This two year old girl who will never see her sister again.

"I love you too." she smiles. I hug her and walk her to the door. I tell Oliver and Lilly the same thing I told Daisey I don't want them to know about the Games.

Violet walks in and closes the door. She runs to me. "It's not fair Rue!" she shouts. I wrap my arms around her. "Why did this happen to you? Your so nice." She says.

"We both know they don't care how nice I am, Violet." I say.

"Why you though?" she asks.

"I don't know. Hey. I need you to be strong okay." I say.

"Only if you promise not to get killed!" Violet says.

My eyes start to tear up. "I can't make any promises. I'm only twelve." I tell her. We hug and our time is up.

James walks in after Violet leaves. "You need to try Rue," he says. "I know you think your gonna be the first one dead. But you can try." he says.

I'm startled that he knew exactly what I was thinking. "I can't kill someone, James." I say.

"I'm not saying you have to kill anyone, just... just... if your not gonna make it out don't go down without a fight." he tells me. "Try to win, Rue." he begs.

"Fine, but if for whatever reason I don't make it out, you will be the oldest, I need you to explain to them... what happened. Okay?" I ask.

"Yeah." James has to leave now.

My Mom comes in. Her face already covered in tears. "Rue." she says. She runs to me and hugs me. We hug for most of the time. Then she breaks away. "You forgot something at home." she says. She pulls out her wooden necklace and put it around me neck. "Your allowed to bring something to remind you of home. I want you to wear it."

I nod. "Thank you, Mom." I say.

"I love you, Rue. I'm so sorry this happened to you." she walks out.

"I love you too, Mom." I say.

After a minute my Dad walks in. He hugs me. "I'm sorry Rue, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." he says through tears.

"Don't be sorry dad, this is not your fault." I say trying to calm him down.

"Your right it's not my fault. It's not my fault, it's the Capitol." He will do stupid things after my death.

"Dad you can't do anything crazy you can't start uprisings they won't work! They're stronger than all of District Elven combined." I say.

"What about all the districts?" he says.

My eyes widen. "No Dad, you'll never get them all to rebel. We're too weak Dad." I say.

"I know." says my dad with a frown, and he walks out.

Now I will go to the Capitol. Where I will be trained to kill other children. From there I will be taken to the arena. Finally, I will be taken back here, to the Justice Building in District Eleven, whether I am dead or alive.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I need to clear my head. So the capitol won't think I'm completely weak. I already have a disadvantage being the youngest. I have to appear strong for my age, then maybe I could have a small chance.

I stop crying and wipe all emotion from my face. The Peacekeepers will come and take me to the train where I will be delivered to the Capitol, and trained for the Games. I frown at the thought of me in The Hunger Games.

A Peacekeeper walks in. "It's time." Is all he says. I stand up in reply. He leads me out the door I see Thresh near by. The Peacekeepers take us out of the Justice Building and into a car that will take us to the Train Station.

We sit in the back of the car and wait. I've never been inside a car. But that's not uncommon, people from the districts are not allowed to travel out of their district unless the Capitol wants them to.

Once we get to the Train Station,Peacekeepers form a barrier between Thresh and I, and the rest of the district. I get on the train and I am shown my room. I close the door behind me. It is almost dark outside. "I've never slept away from my family." I think aloud. I throw myself on my bed but before I can cry there is a knock on my door. "Are you okay, lovey?" Lola asks.

It is strange that she would really care. But I get up and open the door anyway. "Are you okay?" she asks again.

"Why?" I ask her. Yes that was probably considered rude, but I want to know. I want to know why the lady who called my name, sentencing my death, would like to know if I'm okay.

Anger fills inside me. She represents the Capitol, she represents death! I will not answer her even if it is considered rude. I look at the floor. "The tile pattern is interesting." I say, trying to change the subject.

"Yes it is." she says as if she knows I don't want to talk about it.

I look up at her. She has very pail skin. Almost unnaturally pale. She has tones of makeup on. She has purple hair. I take a closer look. No, It's not her hair, it's a wig.

"Yes. I'm fine." I finally confirm.

She smiles now that I answered her question. "Your mentor, Seeder would like to meet you." Lola tells me.

I nod. "Thank you." I say politely.

I follow Lola to a table where Seeder sits. Thresh is not present. Seeder probably wanted to meet us separately. Lola excuse herself.

"Go ahead and have a seat. Rue." says Seeder. I sit in the chair across from her and look at her. She has olive skin and black, straight hair. Her eyes are the only way that she looks like me. They are big and brown. She looks strong, but also looks around sixty years old.

"I'm Seeder, I will be your mentor." she says confidently. I know who she is and why she is here.

"Hello Seeder, I'm Rue." I say respectfully.

She smiles. " Alright, do you have an advantage that could help you in the arena?" she asks me.

I think about what I could say. "I'm fast." I say, after a minute.

I look up at her. "Anything else?" she asks me. My answer was probably not much of an advantage. So I think about any other strengths I have that could come in handy in the arena.

"I can climb, and jump from tree to tree." I manage to say.

"Okay." says Seeder. " So try to stay off the ground. If they can't catch you they can't kill you. Try to see if there are other tributes you trust. Make an alliance. Districts nine, ten, or twelve would be most compatible with your background." she says.

An alliance? How is that possible? Who would want to make an alliance with me? The youngest. They would have to be really messed up in the head to want to be my ally.

Lola walks in "Time for dinner!" she says. Seeder and I get up and follow Lola to the dinning car. Inside, Thresh is already half done with the stake in front of him. There is some kind of juice streaming down his face. Lola makes a disgusted face and sits far away from Thresh.

I frown, I sit next to Thresh. As if I'm trying to prove something to Lola. Seeder sits by me. I look at the food. I have never seen so much food! I should eat slow so it doesn't come back up, but I can't help myself.

After I am about fifty mouthfuls past full, I literally crawl back to my room. I should not have eaten so much! I turn on the TV and see the District Elven Reaping appear. I missed the others. I was eating to long.

On the TV I see me and Thresh being taken inside. The TV switches to the District Twelve Reaping. There escort welcomes everyone and goes to the girls bowl. She pulls out a slip and calls a "Prim Rose Everdeen" to the stage.

I see the blonde haired girl begin walking to the stage. She looks my age. Maybe she would be a good ally. She gets half way to the stage when I hear a girl in the background scream "Prim!" A girl with olive skin and dark hair, who must have screamed it comes into the shot. She pushes Prim behind her and yells. "I vollenteer! I vollenteer as tribute!" Okay. Maybe Prim won't be my ally. Then a man who looks similer to the girl who vollenteered picked Prim up and carries her away as she screamed and kicked. The vollenteer eventually walked to the stage. "What's your name?" the pink wigged escort asked her. The girl gets a close up, her hair is braided beautifully and she has grey eyes. "Katniss Everdeen." she says softly. The escort asks if Prim was her sister. And Katniss confirms she is.

The rest of the Reaping is quite boring. The only living victor from District Twelve, Haymitch fell of the stage. And the escort called some boy named Peeta Mellark. No one vollenteered for him. He looked very strong, but he had this look in his eyes like the word had just ended. He doesn't think he'll come back. He kept looking at Katniss but every time he would his eyes would get more teary.

I turn the TV off and close my eyes. "This has been the worst day ever." I mumble to myself before falling asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Wake up, It's a big day today!" Lola yells from the other side of the door. My eyes open, I look around scared. This is real life, I will be in The Hunger Games very soon. I pull myself out of bed.

I dress in a green shirt. Because it's my favorite color. I put on some pants, I notice some black shoes, so I slip them on. I brush my hair but leave it down knowing I will be preped for the Tribute Parade.

The Tribute Parade is the first time the Capitol people will see us in there home, latter if they like us they will sponsor us, and that will come in handy in the arena. I will meet my prep team and stylist today also. They will only work on me three times, today, the interviews, and right before the Games.

I sigh and walk to the Dinning Car. I am given a light meal. I look at Thresh, he is already done with his meal. If I can call it a meal. "Oh look were arriving in the Capitol!" Lola exclames. I look out the window. All I can see is concrete buildings. I sit back down because this doesn't excite me in any way.

After a few minutes pass we arrive at a building. "Well time to meet your prep team!" Lola says. I look around for Seeder. She isn't here. I wonder where she is. I sigh and walk off the train. I'm surrounded by Peacekeepers again, so I won't try to run. I'm taken to a big room, I look around. There are stations where I guess I will be preped.

Some tributes are already being preped. The ones that stand out are a very beautiful girl with blonde hair, a man almost as scary as Thresh, and a redheaded girl. I don't see Katniss Everdeen. The trains arrive by how close the district is to the Capitol, and District Twelve is the farthest.

When I get to the station I will be preped at, I see three people standing there they introduce themselves to me, Charlene has long yellow hair and golden tattoos on her nose. The man, Darwin is bald, and fat. And then there's Meredith, she has pink skin and short purple hair.

The tell me to sit down. I listen to there silly Capitol accents rattle on for three hours. By the time they are done, I'm wondering how I'm ever gonna survive two more sessions with them before the Games. "It's time to meet your stylist, Valerie!" Meredith tells me. I not in response. "I'll lead you there." says Charlene. I nod again and stand up. "You can talk more next time!" Darwin teases me.

I walk past the District Twelve tributes and follow Charlene into a smaller room. She removes the thin robe I have been allowed to wear and tells me to wait there while she gets Valerie. Once she closes the door I grab the robe without thinking. I look down at my body. Charlene did just take the robe off. I sigh and drop the robe slowly.

The door opens quickly and a lady who I'm guessing is Valerie walks in. I sigh because she looks just like the rest of the Capitol, with her green hair, highlighted with yellow, and her green dress above yellow tights with green hearts on them, her skin is whiter than snow, and she has a black tattoo going down one of her arms.

I clear my throat. "Um hello, I'm Rue." I say clearly. Valerie turns around giggling. "Did I say something wrong?" I ask her frowning.

"No, I just know who you are, that's all." Valerie says, her voice isn't like Lola and the prep team's accents. It almost sounded normal. I smile at the thought that some of these people talk normaly.

"I'm Valerie, your stylist." she says smiling lightly. Valerie help me into my costume for the Tribute Parade. Because District Eleven focuses on agriculture, I get to be dressed like a farmer.

"Don't worry, Thresh's stylist, Spenser designed the outfits for the Tribute Parade. I will design your outfits for the interviews, but you do look very cute in this." Valerie says motioning for me to look in the mirror.

I don't look to different then how I usually look. My hair is left down, and I have blue overalls on. The people that work in the fields don't dress like this, but maybe it makes since to the Capitol this way. I don't have much makeup on, just a little on my eyelids to make them stand out more. I sigh, I guess I do look cute, but the cute tributes don't usually win the Games.

"Let's go wait for the other tributes why don't we?" Valerie says, I nod, I would prefer that I didn't meet the others, but maybe I could make an alliance. Valerie leads me to where the other tributes are waiting. I see many people dressed in a way that will make the Capitol people understand there districts.

In the corner of my eye I see the girl who vollenteered for her sister, Katniss Everdeen. She is wearing a black outfit that covers most of her body with a headdress and a cape. She doesn't have any makeup on but she is very lovely. On the other side of the room I see the boy form her district, Peeta Mellark. He is dressed in the same outfit as Katniss and he is looking in Katniss's direction.

I see Thresh dressed similar to me. Knowing what I know about Thresh,he is probably embarrassed dressed like that all cute like me. He looks down at his feet and crosses his arms. He mutters something under his breath and walks away.

I see the first four districts getting into their chariots. I look over at the District Eleven chariot. There are white horses and a black chariot.

The tributes are starting to be pulled out. Some other tributes get on their chariots. I hear the Capitol people begin to cheer. The tributes from nine and ten get into their chariots. I look back at our chariots. Thresh is standing in it motioning for me to get in. When I reach the chariot Thresh lifts me up and puts me next to him.

The chariot in front of us is pulled out. My heart starts pounding very quickly. I guess I'm nervous, what the Capitol will think of me. I already have a disadvantage being only twelve years old, and being only twelve years old, and how my Opening Ceremony costume is not impressing. I will need a really good training score, and will need to be flawless at the interviews.

Suddenly, I feel the chariot start moving. My heart stops as I'm pulled in front of the eyes of everyone in Panem. The fear I'm feeling now, is a thousand times worse than what I felt at the Reaping.

The crowed does cheer a little but then again some of the costumes in front of me are more interesting, maybe people are still cheering for them.

All of the sudden I hear absolute silence. I see light from behind me. I turn my head to look.

They are as radiant as the sun, the pair of tributes behind me. They have taken all of Panem's attention and support, because they are literally on fire! I don't know how there stylist made this possible.

I look up at the screen above us. Katniss shines bright in the screen. I can't bear to look at the screen anymore, I want to see the fire in real life. So, I turn my head and continue to watch them.

My favorite is Katniss. Not because she looks amazing, but because she vollenteered to take her sisters place. I knew how Prim felt when she was called. Hadn't I hoped someone would vollenteer to take my place?

We are stopped in the City Circle the President of Panem recites a long speech and wishes us luck. Then we are taken to the Training Center. Where we will be trained for the Games. After we get there I see one of the District Twelve stylists extinguish the fire. But now, like everyone else in Panem, I can't possibly judge these tributes the same as the others, well in appearances at least.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

At the Training Center, there is a whole tower designed for the tributes and their teams. This is the tributes home until the Games begin.

Each district has a whole floor. On the elevator you just press the number of your district and it will take you to your floor.

I've only ridden a elevator once, in District Elven, yesterday in fact, it was the elevator in the Justice Building. I know that the elevator in the Justice Building is very old, and is rarely cleaned. This elevator is crystal-clean, I think the walls are made out of crystal, actually.

Lola will continue to keep me on time for every event until I enter the Games. That's great because I am a bit curious about some of the people I've seen in the past two days, and Lola is definitely one of them.

I have always been curious about types of people. I like to watch people and observe their behaviors. Not in a creepy way, I just like to know about certain people, the people on my list, so far, is Lola, Seeder, Valerie, Thresh, and Katniss. I haven't seen all the tributes yet, but I'm sure I'll add a few other tributes to the list.

I close the door to my quarters and look around. There are so many automatic gadgets. I don't even have enough time to see what all of them do. I walk slowly to my bed, my head still spinning from today's events. I wish I could simply close my eyes and open them in District Eleven, and pretend like all of this was a terrible nightmare. But I know this is real now. And I know I'm close to my death. Once the Games start, I will be lucky if I make it past the first day.

I notice the closet has buttons on it. Apparently you can program the closet to find the exact outfit you want. I begin pressing buttons until I find what I want. I dress in a blue shirt, with black baggy pants, and light blue slip on shoes.

I look in the mirror. My eyelids still have makeup on them from the parade. I quickly rinse off the makeup with a wet wash cloth. I look in the mirror again., now I am pleased with my reflection.

Lola knocks on my door, calling me to dinner. When I open the door I smile at her and we walk together to the Dinning Hall. When I get there I am surprised that Thresh hasn't eaten yet. I notice Valerie standing next to a really tall man, with orange hair, he must be Spencer, Thresh's stylist. Seeder walks over to me.

"Rue, tomorrow when your training," says Seeder. "Try to learn some new skills. Be very friendly with the other tributes. And try to impress them without it being clear you are trying to impress them." Seeder advises me.

I just have one question. "Which tributes do I stay away from?" I ask her.

"Districts one and two." Seeder responds nodding.

"Okay, thank you." I say as we both walk to the table. Thresh, Lola, and the stylists are already seated and eating, I don't concentrate on my food, I just eat what the servers put in front of me. However, I do notice that when one of the servants walks around the table offering us wine, he skips me entirely. Well, I guess a twelve year old shouldn't have wine and that's why he skipped me.

The servants are quiet. They all are pretty young as well. They are dressed in white tunics. And they never speak a word.

I excuse myself once I get full, because I don't want to overfill myself again like last night.

I walk to the balcony. I can hear the tinkling of wind chimes coming from somewhere, I don't think I'll find this place in the few days I'll be here. I shake my head, I couldn't even leave the Training Center. But maybe, the tinkling is coming from somewhere in the Training Center area. This seems reasonable because the Training Center property is huge. I wouldn't be able to hear anything too far away.

I walk back to my quarters, and go to the closet and change into a nightgown. I crawl under the covers of my bed. Looking up at the fan on the ceiling. I begin to count how many times it spins around. I get to seventy three times before I finally close my eyes and let myself drift to sleep.

I wake up, and quickly go to the bathroom. It takes me a few minutes to figure out how to turn on the shower. There are so many buttons on the shower panel. But I eventually figure it out. I take a very quick shower because I don't want to miss breakfast.

Today will be my first day of training. This will be the first time I come face to face with the other tributes.

I step out of the shower and onto a mat. Suddenly I am blasted with hot air. I jump a little until I realize that was supposed to happen. The hot air came form heaters that were programed to come out once I stepped on the mat.

I let the heaters finish drying me off. My hair is tangled and wet. I notice a box siting on the counter. I put my hand to it. I feel a strange amount of electricity go through my body. "What was that?" I ask myself and look in the mirror. That's wired, I think. My hair is untangled, dried, and even parted. I guess it had something to do with the box and the electricity I felt.

I walk to the closet. There is an outfit left out for me in the front. I put on the tight black pants and long sleeved yellow shirt.

I walk slowly out of the door. And sit at the Dinning table. Thresh is already there, eating his breakfast. I nod to him, as if I'm saying hello, and he nods back. I'm served my food, but I don't pay much attention to what it is. I'm too busy dreading the training and the Games itself.

I decide to watch the older tributes, watch how they handle themselves. I will try to find someone near my age, maybe we could agree to fight together. I'm sure having an ally would help me further in the Games then I would on my own.

The Capitol thinks that being younger than the other tributes makes the odds of even making it far the Games very low. The youngest tribute to win The Hunger Games is from District Four, Finnick Odair. He was fourteen when he won the Games, and he's been a legend ever since. Now he is in his twenty's. Suddenly, I realize how much I want to prove the Capitol wrong. They think being from the outlying districts or being younger wont help your odds. They probably don't even have me on the list of tributes for the Capitol people to vote for who they think will win. My life is nothing to the Capitol. I will prove them wrong.

I pull myself away from the table. Thresh is sitting on a coach, next to Lola and Seeder. They are watching the Tribute Parade. "Oh, Rue," begins Lola. "Are you wanting to go to training already, I figured you wouldn't want to be in hurry."

I just nod my head. "Yeah, well if I'm going to have any odds in making it past the first hour of the Games, I'm going to need to train harder than other tributes!" I'm almost yelling. "I'm sorry, this is just so much to take in." I apologize. I run out the door and to the elevator.

I hear footsteps behind me, but I want to be alone. I push the button summoning the elevator to the eleventh floor. When the elevator door opens, it's empty. I walk into the small room. I notice Thresh standing by the door. I know he is trying to be my friend. I smile at him. He smiles and enters the small room too. The elevator doors close once he gets in.

"You okay, Rue?" he asks me gently. I slowly look up at him. I haven't heard Thresh speak before.

"Yes. I guess I just got mad because I feel like the Capitol people have left me out. My life isn't important to them." I confess to him. I don't know why, but there is something about Thresh that makes me trust him. Probably because he is from home.

Thresh looks down. "That makes me angry too." Thresh says.

"That doesn't effect you. Your the oldest and the biggest. No one is leaving you out." I point out.

Thresh sighs. "I guess. But what about the Capitol thinking were not important. We can be replaced. They can just force us to fight to the death. We're all kids, Rue. All of us." Thresh says quietly.

The elevator doors open and Thresh walks out. He is eighteen, still a child. Still too young to die. I sigh and follow Thresh out the elevator. I'm greeted by a huge gymnasium filled with weapons and obstacle courses. Someone pins the number '11' on the back of our shirts.

We join the other tributes in a circle. I look around, counting each tribute, twenty two tributes. Two tributes haven't arrived yet.

I hear the elevator doors open. I turn my head quickly. Katniss and Peeta were the missing tributes. As they get a '12' pinned to their backs I notice they are the only two tributes dressed a like. I raise my eyebrow slowly. Once they reach the circle, the Head Trainer, Atala begins to explain the training schedule.

There will be trainers waiting at each station, prepared to teach us. We tributes are forbidden to practice combative exercises on one another. If we want to practice with a partner there will be assistants on hand. Atala reads the list of the skill stations. I notice Katniss has a small smirk on her face. Atala releases us to train.

Katniss and Peeta head to the Knot Tying Station. I follow the boy from District Four to the Fire Starting Station. We sit near each other. The boy takes his supplies to the Climbing Station. Above, the boy from District Two is climbing on the equipment. I look for Thresh but I'm not sure where he is. Someone knocks me to the ground. I find the boy from District Four lying near me. "Sorry, you better go hide, Rue." he says slowly. I get up and hide close to the Knot Tying Station.

I hear some trainers gasp. The Climbing Station is on fire, and the District Two tribute is stuck up there. The assistants are trying to kill the fire. The tribute lets go of the Climbing Station and lands on the ground. He finds the boy from Four. "I'll kill you right now!" he screams.

"I'm sorry, Cato, I didn't think the equipment would catch on fire!" the boy from Four pleads.

"I will get you back for this! In the Games your the first one I kill!" Cato shouts, then casually walks back to the girl from Two, both tributes from One, and the girl from Four.

The boy from Four walks back to me. "Wasn't that hilarious!" he asks me. My mouth opens slightly. He light a part of the Training Center on fire, while another tribute was using it, on purpose! A smile slowly tugs at my lips.

Those are the Carriers," the boy says motioning to Cato and his group. "And my name is Tuna." he says putting his hand to his chest. "I am thirteen years old." Tuna says slowly.

"How do you know my name?" I ask him.

"Well, I watched all the Reapings and found out witch tribute was witch." Tuna says his cheeks turning red.

"Oh, maybe you could tell me the career tributes names." I say. Tuna is nice. And soon, I will be able to put faces with names. And he is younger than other tributes, if we were allies maybe we could help each other.

"Well, the boy from One is Marvel, he's really good at throwing spears, the girl form his district is Glimmer, which is a stupid name, in my opinion. The boy form Two is Cato, he is good with a sword. The girl is Clove. She does knife throwing. She never misses her target. The girl from my district is Aqua, she joined the Careers." Tuna says with a sigh. "Any other tributes you want to know about?" Tuna has red, curly hair, and dark green eyes.

"Do you know anything about Katniss? Or Peeta?" I ask him slowly.

He smiles. "Oh, so your interested in District Twelve, are you now?" he says teasingly.

"They don't seem to be practicing anything they know how to do. It seems you know as much about them as I do. Peeta seems to be good at camouflage." Tuna says motioning to Peeta putting paints on his arm, while talking to Katniss. "And Katniss was good at the Not Tying Station." Tuna adds. I nod happy to get some information. "Sorry, I don't know that much about them. It seems like they are making sure we don't know what they can really do. Unless they actually can't use a weapon." he says.

I look up at the Gamemakers eating while watching us carefully. The assistants call us into a cafeteria to eat lunch. The Careers sit together. Katniss and Peeta also sit together and tell each other stories.

I look back at Thresh hie is done with his food. So he sits there looking around. I smile at him from across the room, he notices and smiles back.

I decide after lunch I will steal Cato's knife. I'm not sure why I want to take this risk. But I'm planning it out carefully.

After the tributes are done eating, we go back into the gymnasium. After a while, I notice Cato left his knife on the counter next to him. He is laughing with the other careers as the girl from District Three begins an obstacle course. I slowly walk behind Cato and lift his knife up slowly. I put it in front of me and walk away.

Once I get far enough away, I begin running to the Climbing Station, where trainers have replace the burnt rope with new ropes. As I climb higher and higher up the ropes, I hear the District Three girl has fallen from the course. I grab onto the bars of the ceiling and pull myself up Why did I do this? Why would I risk making myself a target from Cato? I climb away from the climbing station slowly.

"Where's my knife?" I look down, Cato looks really angry. He walks over to the boy form District Eight, the closest non career to him. "Did you take my knife?" Cato asks impatiently.

"No. Why would I take your knife? There's like a thousand knife's hear. Go find another one." the District Eight boy says, clearly annoyed.

"You took my knife. Just give it back, and everything will be fine." Cato says calmly.

"I didn't take your stupid knife!" the boy yells, pushing Cato. They both start yelling vile things at each other. Atala stops them, and separates them. I start to calm down. It was worth it.

I notice Tuna looking up at me smiling, almost laughing. And Thresh looks up and starts shaking his head, but he's smiling. Katniss even gives me a warm smile.

About an hour goes by, so I start making my way back to the Climbing Station. Before I start climbing down the ropes, I check to make sure all the careers are far away from the area. Once I get down I place the knife on the counter in the position it was in before I took it.

I walk over to Tuna. "That was awesome, Rue!" Tuna says excitedly and gives me a thumbs up. I slowly walk to where Katniss and Peeta are. I'm not really interested in training anymore today, so I follow them around. The next day goes by fast. We have breakfast and dinner on our floor and train all day. I quietly walk down the hall on the District Eleven floor. I sit on the balcony.

Tomorrow are the private training sessions and I will need to get a good score. I will need to truly impress the Gamemakers if I want to get a good score. I listen to the wind chimes in the distance, I hum along with the chimes and fall asleep peacefully.

I wake up early in the morning and realize I'm still on the balcony. I drag myself to my room and fall asleep on my bed.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

I wake up, today I will prove myself to the Gamemakers. I'm hoping I can get a good score so I will come across as tough for my age. I get up, shower, and fix my hair into tow pony tails. I think I look presentable. I smile at myself in the mirror. At my closet a put on black pants and a long sleeved green shirt, and put black shoes on.

I walk to the Dinning Hall. Thresh is always out before me. For some reason this annoys me. Thresh is wearing black pants and a short sleeved blue shirt. In front of him a huge pile of pancakes. No one else is out yet. "Someday, I'm going to be the first one out here Thresh." I say competitively.

He laughs quietly. "I'd like to see you try, Rue." he challenges me. I think it's really fun to be around Thresh. He is the oldest tribute, I'm the youngest. He is the tallest, I'm the shortest. It's funny how many opposites there are between us.

"You would have to get up pretty early to beat me out here." Thresh laughs again. I giggle at how silly this whole conversation, and sit down next to Thresh. A server gives me toast. I cover the bread in jam as Thresh laughs at how much I put on the toast. I giggle at myself and shove the bread into my mouth. Minutes pass as Thresh and I finish our food quietly. Lola comes out quickly. She runs around quickly rearranging furniture. "What are you doing Lola?" I ask slowly.

Lola looks up. "I'm tidying up, some of the mentors are coming over to speak with Seeder about Thresh." Lola explains.

I nod, grab the chocolate milk in front of me and begin putting whipped cream into it, as I listen to Lola's heels click around the floor. Thresh gets up.

"I'm going to talk to Seeder." Thresh tells me.

I smile at him and nod. A lot of tributes mus want him as an ally. Thresh leaves the room.

I get up. "And where are you going missy?" Lola asks without looking up.

"I'm going to the Training Center to figure out what to do for my private training session." I say.

Lola looks up. "Alright. Just make sure your not alone with the careers. I heard some of them like to pick on the younger things." Lola says. I snort thinking about how I stole Cato's knife. Don't get arrogant, Rue. I tell myself.

I walk to the sofa. "Yeah they probably would pick on me." I say worriedly.

Lola looks up again. "But, the trainers will be there of course they won't let them hurt you!" Lola says pulling me into a big, tight, hug.

This angers me. She thinks I'm weak. I pull away from Lola. "I'll be alright." I tell myself. Lola seems to think I was talking to her and nods. I shrug and walk to the elevator.

I wish Thresh was here, so we could make fun of Lola's hair, or the way she was running around the whole floor cleaning things that didn't need to be cleaned. I press the elevator button, so it will stop on this floor. When the elevator doors open, the small crystal room is not empty. Katniss and Peeta stand inside awkwardly.

Peeta smiles at me as I walk into the elevator, the doors close behind me. We are silent the whole way down. When the doors open, we all step off the elevator, but notice we aren't on the Training Floor. We turn to leave, but the doors close and leave us in another district's floor. I look up and find a two above the elevator. We're on District Two's floor. Both Katniss and Peeta notice my glance. Katniss lunges for the elevator button, and we wait for the doors to open, they finally do, and we rush inside. The elevator doors close around us and we all laugh nervously.

The elevator opens in the Training Floor and we step off. I smile to myself. The elevator ride was kind of fun. It made me realize I the districts would get along well, if we could know each other. If we were free from the Capitol.

I think that for my private training session, I'll just show the Gamemakers my ability to jump from tree to tree. I hear someone coming up behind me. I turn around and find my new friend, Tuna.

"How are you, Tuna?" I ask.

"Good, I'm a little nervous about the private sessions." he says. "I'm still not sure what I should do. I feel like I haven't learned anything."

I see Katniss staring at the Archery Station. "I'm sure you'll do fine, Tuna." I assure him, my attention still on Katniss.

"I hope I can get a good score." he says under his breath.

I sigh. "Me too."

I notice Thresh walking out the elevator doors. "I'll see you later, Tuna." I say looking at him. Tuna nods and goes to the Climbing Station. I slowly walk to Thresh. "So..." I say. Thresh looks over at me. "What do you think of everyone wanting to be your ally?"

"I told Seeder to turn them all down. I'm gonna do this alone." he says.

"I would have done the same... If I didn't need an ally." I say looking around.

"I just hate it. They only want me as an ally to help themselves." he says through clenched teeth. I sit down crossed legged next to him. He sits down, and for minutes it's quiet.

All the tributes must be here, because the assistants lead us into a new room with chairs. Thresh and I sit quietly again in this room. When the Gamemakers call Marvel, I speak to Thresh. "I guess that's how the Games work, using other people for your own survival." I say. Thresh looks at me and nods.

The call tributes into the main gymnasium district by district, boys first, the the girl tribute. Thresh is called, as he stands up, I smile at him. He nods and leaves the room. I look around. It's just me and Katniss and Peeta again. I smile thinking about hope and freedom. Next, the Gamemakers call me.

Once I get there, I'm worried. The Gamemakers have been there for a while. I hurry to the Climbing Station, and climb quickly. I jump through the equipment. When I look up, only a few Gamemakes are nodding. I quickly grab some knifes and head to the Knife Throwing Station.

I have no idea why I'm doing this, I don't have much experience with a knife. I just feel the need to impress them. I look up, more Gamemakers watch me. I smile and let the first knife fly.

To my surprise, I actually hit the target. I grab more knifes and throw them I threw about ten more times and only missed twice. The Gamemakers excuse me.

I go straight to the eleventh floor. Seeder, Thresh, and Lola sit on the sofa. They turn to me as I walk in. "I... I tried something different." I say. Seeder stand up. "But I think I did good at it." I add. Seeder doesn't yell at me. But I don't know if she would yell if she wanted to.

"What did you do?" Seeder asks.

"I threw some knifes." I say opening my eyes. Seeder nods. Thresh turns his head to look at me.

Seeder walks back to the sofa. "Well, we'll see how you did once the announce the scores." Seeder says patting the empty space next to her. I sit down.

After dinner, they start announcing scores. Tuna gets a six. I let out a breath, he must have done well. Thresh gets a ten, the same score as Cato. I get a seven, I must have done well. I smile and Seeder and Lola congratulate us. Peeta gets and eight. And Katniss gets an eleven. No one has ever got an eleven before.

We all head to our rooms, I change into a nightgown and crawl under the covers. I close my eyes and dream of hope.

I wake up smiling. Today, I won't have to go the the Training Floor. I run out of bed and to the closet. I put on black shorts, a short sleeved red shirt, and black shoes. I run to the dinning room. No one is out. I finally beat Thresh.

I start putting a little too much jam on my toast as I wait for Thresh. Minutes later Thresh comes out. I smile and wave at him and eat the toast. He looks surprised.

He starts laughing as he sits down. "Well, you got out here before me, Rue." he says. He puts butter and syrup and whipped cream on his pancakes.

Lola joins us, eating her fruit salad. We talk about the scores last night as Seeder comes out and eats cereal.

"Today we're going to teach you how to act at the interviews." Lola says.

Lola starts off telling me how to hold my dress and sit like a lady. Then Lola takes Thresh, leaving me with Seeder. She tells me to act very kind to Ceasar Flickerman and to answer his questions with a smile.

We all come back together for dinner, and eat quietly. I almost want to speak but you can hear the tinkling from outside perfectly.

After dinner, we head back to our rooms. I feel so happy right now. For my seven. For hope. I change into a nightgown quickly and crawl into bed. And for the second knight in a row, I dream of a place where my brothers and sisters can live with no fear of the Capitol. A place where we don't have to go to bed hungry, a place filled with hope.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

I open my eyes peacefully to find three strange faces watching me carefully. My eyes widen, and my heart beat quickens. Suddenly I remember who they are, my prep tea, Darwin, Charlene, and Meredith. I allow myself to relax a little.

The prep team work on me until the afternoon arrives. Moisturizing my skin, fixing my nails, brushing my hair. They make both my eyes and eyelashes stand out. While they prepare me, they complement my seven for the training scores. Then they talk about some party they went to last night

Valerie arrives to help me into my interview dress. I examine the dress carefully. This outfit suits me better, than that silly outfit Thresh's stylist designed for the Tribute Parade.

Valerie adjusts something near my back. My eyes shift to the mirror. Now it appears that I have wings. Valerie pats my back. I smile at my stylist. Valerie leads me out of the room. "Remember, be sweet, Rue." Valerie reminds me. I nod my head.

I meet up with Seeder, Thresh, and Lola. Thresh is dressed in a black suit and tie. He looks in his element actually. Thresh looks up at me and smiles, I smile back. This experience has made me close with Thresh. Lola showers both of us in complements while we ride the elevator together.

When the elevator doors open we are lined up to take to the stage. We are taken to our seats. There is an elevated seating unit for the guests. The first row is reserved for our stylists. On the balcony of the building, the Gamemakers watch us. Everyone in Panem will be watching tonight's event on their television sets.

Caesar Flickerman has been hosting the interviews for almost forty years, yet his appearance is unchanged, except for the the color of his hair. This year it's blue. The girl from District One, Glimmer is called to the stage. Each interview lasts three minutes. Caesar is friendly to each tribute, and tells his jokes to put the tributes at ease.

Tuna is called to the stage, and he makes jokes about the careers. I giggle quietly when states that Cato is all bark and no bite. Although, I have a feeling this isn't true. The girl from District Five, has red hair and amber eyes, I haven't noticed her much, before.

Districts Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, and Ten are called to the stage one by one. It seems like this is going to quickly. Soon Caesar is announcing me onto the stage, I quickly stand up and meet Caesar.

"Rue, I was quite impressed with your seven at the private training session. You must have impressed the Gamemakers."

I smile. "Thank you."

Caesar has me talk about how I felt when I was reaped, and how different the Capitol is from District Eleven. "What do you think your greatest strength will be in the arena." The question comes out so quickly I barely catch it.

I don't hesitate to answer this question. "I'm very hard to catch, and if they can't catch me, they can't kill me." I pause. "So don't count me out." I add.

Caesar smiles at what I've said. "I wouldn't in a million years." he says. I smile. At least I know Caesar Flickerman won't count me out.

I nod my head and whisper under my breath "Thank you."

I take my seat again as Thresh is called up. His three minutes go by quickly. Thresh answers Caesar's questions under his breath. But I smile for him. Many people will sponsor him, because how big he is.

Katniss is called up. Katniss answers Caesar's questions about the fire for the Tribute Parade. Then Katniss stands up and begins twirling. I'm confused at first, until I notice the bottom part of her dress is on fire. Her stylist must be very talented.

Caesar then discuses Katniss's sister. Eventually he asks her what her sister said to her for goodbye. Katniss responds. "She asked me to try really hard to win." This reminds me of Violet and James.

"And what did you say?" Caesar asks her gently.

Katniss looks up and says "I swore I would."

I smile at this. Besides myself there are three tributes I would like to win. Thresh because the victory will provide extra food and money for District Eleven, witch would bring food to my family's table. Another is Tuna, because he is a younger tribute and will prove the Capitol wrong. And then Katniss, I want her to go back to her sister. Something I know I can't do. I sigh wondering when I will die.

Katniss is excused to take her seat, as Peeta takes her place, center stage. Peeta starts his interview comparing tributes to bread. Then Peeta describes the dangers of Capitol showers. Peeta asks Caesar if he smells like roses, causing both of them to sniff each other. I snort at this.

Peeta is eventually asked if he has a girlfriend back home. I raise my eyebrow. That's a personal question to ask someone in front of the whole nation. Peeta shakes his head and Caesar keeps trying to get the answer out of him.

Peeta opens up, and tells us he has had a crush on a girl, but he doesn't think she knew who he was until the Reaping. Caesar advises him to win the Games, then she won't be able to turn him down.

Peeta shakes his head sadly. "I don't think it's going to work out." Peeta says. "Winning... won't help in my case."

"Why ever not?" Caesar asks.

I can't help but notice Peeta's face is red. From blushing. "Because... because...she came here with me."

My eyes widen, did he just confess he has a crush on Katniss, on live television? I look up at the screen above me. Katniss is on the screen, her gaze rests on the floor, her face growing redder the second.

Peeta's interview is ended, and the anthem is played. Tributes head back to the Training Center lobby.

Once I get back to my quarters, I head for the shower. I want to rinse all the makeup off. I let the heaters dry me off, and even put my hand on the box. The electricity runs through me. I run a hand through my newly untangled hair, sigh, and put a nightgown on. I make my way to my bed, wishing it was my real bed, back in District Eleven.

I pull myself under the covers, and let my mind think about my beautiful family back home. If I had not been reaped, I would be laying next to Violet and Lily. We would likely be hungry, but at least I wouldn't be going into The Hunger Games.

The Games will start tomorrow. I run to my dresser to get my wooden necklace. I put the chain around me neck and run my fingers over the wood. I frown, the Games will begin tomorrow.

I pull myself back into bed and fall asleep. I wake up multiple times from nightmares about my death. I play with the necklace until I fall asleep again.

Each nightmare is worse than the last. Eventually my siblings creep into the nightmares. But I tell myself that it isn't real. I am the only Henderson who will experience The Hunger Games, or anything else the Capitol could hurt us with. And that is a promise.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"Today is a big day young lady." Lola's voice booms from the other side of the door, waking me up. I pull myself out of bed, although I truly wish I could stay in bed for the rest of my life.

I walk to the door. Once I open it, I'm greeted by Lola, pulling me out of the room and closing the door behind me. "But, I'm not dressed yet." I say.

"Your stylist will prep you, shortly." Lola explains.

I guess I'm no longer welcome in the Capitol rooms, and the sooner I leave the better. I follow Lola to the living room. Thresh is standing there, still in his sleep wear.

I assume that, since Thresh never asked me for an alliance, that we won't be allies during the Games. At least we'll have our friendship in the Capitol. I sigh, soon, I will be in the arena.

Valerie and Thresh's stylist, Spencer come out of the opening elevator doors. They cross the room to where Lola, Thresh, and I are standing. They hug Lola and grab Thresh and I by our wrists, pulling us to the elevator.

They give us a change in cloths so we won't be cold. We will be preped for the Games in the catacombs under the arena. Valerie guides me to the roof. It's about dawn.

A hovercraft appears out of no where and drops a ladder down. I place my hands and feet on the ladder and instantly I'm frozen in place. They must have done something so that I don't let go or fall while they lift me into the hovercraft.

However, I'm not released from the ladder once I get inside. A woman in a white coat comes to me, a syringe in her hand. "This is your tracker, Rue." she explains. She gets closer and brings the syringe to my arm. A sharp pain pierces in my arm as she inserts the needle into my skin. The tracker, I suppose, will help the Gamemakers know exactly where I am in the arena.

I'm released from the ladder. It's nice to be able to move again. A server directs me to where breakfast will be served, while the lady helps my stylist into the hovercraft. The servers are quiet as they always are.

After about half an hour, the windows of the hovercraft are blocked out. We must be near the arena. Once the hovercraft lands, Valerie and I are taken back to the ladder. The ladder now leads to a tube underground, beneath the place where I will die.

We are taken to a Launch Room. Everything in this room is brand new. I will be the only tribute to use this Launch Room.

Valerie leaves my hair down, but brushes it. Then, she helps me into the clothes. Every tribute will wear identical outfits. Simple pants, a light green blouse, a brown belt, a thin hooded jacket, and boots that look easy to run in.

I pull my wooden necklace from under my shirt. "Can I keep this?" I ask worried she might take it away from me. The only thing from home.

"Is it your district token?" Valerie asks.

I nod. "It was my mothers." I say.

"It doesn't look like a weapon, go ahead." she says.

A weapon? Have other people tried to sneak weapons into the arena? I need to know. "Do tributes really do that? Sneak weapons into the Games?" I ask.

"Yes. The girl form District One tried to sneak a ring into the arena, that turned into a poisonous spike." Valerie says.

I can't believe a tribute would do that. Sneaking in weapons. Giving them an unfair advantage. Actually, I do believe it. Glimmer would do that.

"Would the Capitol be mad if they found out I had this?" I ask motioning to the necklace.

Valerie gives me a smile. "No. I had it cleared." she says. I smile. A female voice announces that it's time to launch. I walk slowly to the cylinder, it shuts around me and begins to rise.

For about fifteen seconds. I'm surrounded by the dark, then I'm pushed up into the fresh air. I'm blinded momentarily by the light until my eyes adjust.

Then, the legendary announcer of The Hunger Games, Claudius Temblesmith's voice booms out all around me. "Ladies and gentlemen, let the seventy-fourth Hunger Games begin!"

We all are required to stand on our metal circles for sixty seconds. If you step off before the minute is over, land mines blow you to bits.

All the tributes are an equal distance always form the Cornucopia, a giant golden horn with a mouth at least twenty feet high. Inside the mouth are weapons, food, containers of water, medicine, and fire starters. These things will keep us alive if we fight for them.

There are other supplies around the Cornucopia, but they won't be a helpful as the items that lay in the mouth.

I examine the arena. There is a lake to my left. A source of water if I make it long enough. To my right is woods. A good place to hide, I could easily jump from tree to tree there.

I wonder now, if I should take my chances and get something, anything from the Cornucopia, or run and hide in the woods.

No. If I don't have food, I will starve slowly and be in pain for days. If I go to the Cornucopia, and I do get killed, it will be fast. I'll go the Cornucopia.

I'm sure I won't be much of a target if I go. I'm the youngest, I'm sure they would choose to kill a bigger tribute over me. Why target the twelve year old? I just need to stay out of everybody's way, and they won't go after me.

I think the minute is almost up now. I'll go to the Blood Bath. Hopefully I will make it out alive. I prepare myself to sprint forward once the gong rings, giving us the signal to kill each other.

The gong rings out. I throw my body forward, towards the Cornucopia, No turning back, I have to grab something now. I sprint half way to the Cornucopia. I look up and see, near the mouth, Tuna, as he drops to the ground. And I see him, pulling the sword out of my friends back, smirking at me.

Smirking at me. I'll get him back for this. For Tuna. I force myself to look away, down a the floor. By my feet is a water skin. I pick it up and run away. I'm almost to the woods. In front of me, a few yards away, lays a pair of socks. I grab them and run into the woods. I find a tree and climb it. There, I sit, trying to control my anger. So I don't go back there and kill them, the career tributes.

I wouldn't stand a chance against them, anyway. Cato, Clove, Marvel, and Glimmer against a twelve year old girl form District Eleven. It wouldn't be pretty. I'd be killed. And then I won't be able to avenge Tuna's death. I will get my revenge on all of them. If Clove, Marvel, or Glimmer had the chance to kill Tuna, they would have. They have probably all killed someone by now, anyway. They don't deserve to win.

I smile at the things I could do to them. My planning is interrupted by the sound of a cannon going off in the distance.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

In The Hunger Games, the sound of a cannon going off represents a tributes death. On the first day of the Games, the cannons don't start going off until the Blood Bath is over because it's too hard to count the deaths. The Gamemakers don't collect the bodies until the killers leave.

Ten more cannons go off. One representing Tuna. Eleven tributes are dead so far. Which means there are thirteen tributes left.

In a few hours, the faces of the dead tributes will be projected in the sky. I wonder if they killed Katniss or Thresh. I know there targets.

I'm not sure what my plan is anymore. I was going to make an alliance with Tuna, but I can't do that now. I feel like it's not worth trying anymore. I'm only twelve. I might as well start a fire and let the careers know I'm hear.

I shake the thought form my head. I have to try. I promised James. I won't win because I refuse to kill anyone. I won't even kill Cato. I just want the Capitol to believe age doesn't make a difference in the arena. It probably does matter.

I hear a twig crack from below me. I look down. Peeta is walking, and he is noisy. I could kill him. But I wouldn't. He is from a outlying district. I won't ruin his chances. I could jump on him and knock him out, drag his body to the lake and toss him in. But I'm not gonna do that.

I hear a sword drag on the ground. Then a female snicker. I look back down. The careers stand in front of Peeta. Clove has a lot of knifes. If she left just one behind, I cold get food. Clove lifts her knife and is about to throw it. "Wait," says Peeta. "I can help you find her."

Clove looks at Cato, who looks amused. "Are you good with any weapon?" Cato asks.

"I'm okay with a knife, and I know where Katniss will go." Peeta says.

Marvel rubs his hands together.

"Are you sure you know where she's going?" Cato asks sounding irritated.

"Yeah, she told me all her strategies." Peeta confirms.

Cato nods. "Fine, three days, if we don't find her in three days or less we kill you. Slowly." Cato warns Peeta.

"Were gonna catch us a girl on fire!" Glimmer screams as loud as possible.

Marvel throws his head back and puts his hands to his lips. "You better look out girl on fire! We're coming for you!" he yells.

I roll my eyes. I really hope Katniss will be okay. The careers, and Peeta run off yelling annoying things. I jump through the trees about two miles away.

The anthem begins playing. The girl from District Three is the first face to appear in the sky. My only memory of her is that she was on a obstacle course, in the Training Center, when I took Cato's knife. I smile, seeing Cato so angry. My smile is replaced with a frown when I see the next face. Tuna. The boy from District Five comes next. Both tributes form Six and Seven appear in the sky. The boy from District Eight and both tributes from Nine. And the girl from Ten.

A few hours pass. I'm really cold. But It's not like I'm going to start a fire to keep warm. I see smoke form the ground. Someone actually lit a fire. The girl from District Eight sits cross legged near the fire. I roll my eyes and continue to watch this stupid girl.

She falls asleep. A few hours pass, I think this girl might live to see the day. A twig snaps beneath me. The careers stand in front of this girl. I stand up and jump through the trees.

I don't want to be too close to her when they kill her. I find a tree on the other side of the arena. A long time passes. No cannon. Did they kill her? Then the cannon sounds. A roll my eyes and fall asleep.

I wake up and move through the trees. Then I see a mockingjay. Like back home. Before I can stop myself, I smile and sing the four note song I use to sing back home. I put my hand over my mouth and check to make sure no one was around.

The mockingjays begin to repeat the song. I wonder if Thresh can hear it. I wonder if he knows what the song means. Once the mockingjays go silent, I hear them start up again. With a four note song very similar to mine, but not the same.

Thresh sang it. I tell myself. I guess Thresh is still my friend.

Thresh and I spend the whole day spending songs between the mockingjays. I wonder where his is. I think I'll try to find him at some point. I would love to see him one more time before my death. I stop sending songs and fall asleep.

The next day, I explore the arena. I notice some berries from home. I pick a lot of them. Later, I find Katniss collapsed in some mud. She lays there for a long time. I decide to watch her. She starts swirling her hands in the mud.

She looks like she's going to die. I frown. Maybe I should help her. Then Katniss gets up and crawls to a pond. She fills her water container up and drops iodine into the water and waits about half an hour. She drinks slowly. I guess she needed water, because she seems fine now.

How has she not noticed me? Maybe she was that close to death and she couldn't notice me. I wish I had told her she was right next to a ponds. Maybe she would have been my ally. But now, she's back in the Game.

I climb a tree and continue to watch Katniss. She fills her water container two more times and then climbs a tree. I didn't know she could climb. Great. If she notices me, she could kill me. I'd have to jump to another tree. At least I have an escape. I wonder what other strengths she has. She did get an eleven.

I watch her as she falls asleep, just a few trees away from me. She has a sleeping bag, which would be helpful for nights in this arena. I'm sure it keeps her really warm. She must have went into the Blood Bath like I did. To get the sleeping bag, and water container, and the iodine.

I'm cold, so I pull my extra pair of socks out of my jacket pocket. I put the socks on my hands and try to keep them from freezing. I rub my face with the socks and fall asleep.

When I wake up, I'm greeted by a giant wall of fire. I notice Katniss running away, her things packed up. I jump quickly out of the tree.

I run away. I manage to dodge a fireball that was headed strait for me. The Gamemakers made this. Another fireball flies through the air, sliding across my arm.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

I look down at my burnt arm. Once the fireball hit, I quickly ripped my jacket off and tried to put the fire out. Now I sit on the floor trembling.

My arm is burnt pretty bad. And the pain is a hundred times worse then all of my physical, and mental pain in my whole life put together.

I hope none of my sisters, of their kids ever have to go through this terrible Game.

I'm startled out of my thoughts when I hear someone screaming. Whoever it is must have been caught in this fire too. My heart sinks when I think about another person knowing what it's like to be on fire.

The fire stops soon after. I don't hear a cannon. The person who was screaming must have not been burned to death. If the Gamemakers were not trying to kill us, they must have been leading us to another tribute. Or a group of brutal tributes who will kill you on sight.

I pull myself up and look around. The careers are not here. Yet. I run to a tree.

A long time passes before I hear running. I look down, it's Katniss. Luckily she runs past my tree and climbs one across from it. She is still in knife throwing distance. And here I am, yet again, weaponless. I really need to fix that.

I hear more running, the careers find Katniss's tree. I wonder if they will notice me up here, across form Katniss Everdeen, the girl on fire, one of there greatest threats.

Katniss is about twenty feet up that tree. I think there surveying one another. The careers are grinning, they seem sure they will get to kill her soon. They probably will.

"How's everything with you?" Katniss calls down cheerfully. I pop a berry into my mouth.

Cato looks up at her. "Well enough, yourself?" Cato asks.

"It's been a bit warm for my taste." she says. "The air's better up here. Why don't you come on up?"

"Think I will." Cato says.

"Here, take this Cato." Glimmer offers Cato her bow. I see Katniss look down at Glimmer's bow. Her face is getting red as she looks at the bow. Why? I ask myself.

"No." Cato pushes the bow away. "I'll do better with my sword." His sword. The same sword he used to kill my friend.

Cato pulls himself into the tree. Laughing a little. Katniss grins and climbs higher into the tree. When Katniss stops and looks at Cato, the branch snaps and Cato falls to the ground. I giggle. I hope the fall killed him. To my surprise, Cato gets back to his feet. Swearing. I giggle just a little bit too loud. Peeta looks in my direction then looks back at Katniss.

Peeta didn't join the careers to help them find Katniss. Maybe he is trying to keep them away form her. He has been doing a good job until now. Maybe he does have a crush on her. Katniss notices Peeta looking at her, so she glares at him. Peeta looks away sadly. He does like her. And she thinks he's really trying to help the careers. It makes sense.

Glimmer tries to climb the tree but the branches begin to crack. I smile hoping she will fall too. She tries to shoot Katniss with her bow. But clearly, she isn't very good with the weapon.

One arrow gets lodged in a tree near Katniss. She takes the arrow out, and waves it teasingly over Glimmer's head.

The careers start to argue with each other about how to kill her, or how to get her down. Then Peeta speakes up. "Oh, let her stay up there. It's not like she's going anywhere. We'll deal with her in the morning."

I smile. He likes her. The careers lay down, the sun finally goes down. Katniss pulls her jacket on and lays her sleeping bag out. I can see her well enough with the careers torches. She cuts a hole in the sleeping bag. I can see her burn now. It looks like mine, but it's on her calf.

I frown and listen to the birds I smile as the arena goes into night time. It's strange how peaceful I am right now. In the arena with the careers below me. I examine Katniss's tree. And I see it, a few feet above her head.

A trackerjacker nest. Tracker jackers were created in a lab, like the jaberjays that became my favorite bird, mockingjays. They are bigger than regular wasps, they have a solid gold body. Once they sting you a big lump forms on your skin.

People can't tolerate more than a few stings. If you live the hallucinations from the venome bring most people to madness. Te wasp will also hunt down whoever disturbs their pressious nest, and kill them. That's why they are called tracker jackers.

The Capitol placed them all around the districts. I have to warn Katniss. Or maybe she could cut the nest down on top of the careers. I feel bad for Peeta, but the careers must be removed. I know how to treat tracker jacker stings.

I stare at Katniss. Her grey eyes find my brown eyes. She recognized me. We stare at each other for a while. I slide my hand out into the open, and point to the nest. She follows my pointed finger to the nest. It takes a minute for her to register what they are. I fade back into the trees. She looks back at me, but can't find me.

After a while, the Capitol seal appears and the anthem plays. I notice Katniss gets up and starts cutting the branch the nest is on. Once the anthem is over she stops and sits back down. I fall asleep.

"Rue." I hear her whisper. My eyes open wide. She holds her knife out and makes a sawing motion. I nod and disappear into the tree. I don't want to be here when the nest hits the ground. I jump out of the tree and into another.

I keep going until I'm on the other side of the arena. I sing my four note song. I need to see Thresh. Another song comes back after minutes. I follow the mockingjays until I reach a field of tall grass. "Thresh?" I call out.

Then, I'm being pulled into the grass. This is it. I think. I'm gonna die now. My eyes are shut.

"Sorry Rue, It's not safe out there though," I hear the familiar voice say. I open my eyes. Thresh chuckles.

"What have you been up to?" I question him.

"You know hanging out here. Gathering food. You?" he asks.

"There was this giant fire, and I got burned pretty bad. I don't know what to use on it." I say.

"Let me see." Thresh says. I take my jacket off. "Wow, that's pretty bad."

"Katniss got a pretty bad burn too!" I say.

Thresh chuckles. "Your still following her around?" he asks.

"I had to leave before Katniss cut the tracker jacker nest down." I tell him.

"Is Katniss playing with tracker jackers?" Thresh asks.

I nod. "Yeah. She's gonna cut the nest down on the careers."

Thresh's eyes widen. "You should stop hanging around her, Rue. She seems like she gets herself into dangerous situations often." he says laughing.

I smile as a cannon goes off. "Look's like the results are coming in." Thresh and I grin.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Two cannons go off. Thresh and I talk until the sun starts to go down. "I better get going, there is only one victor, after all." I say sadly. Thresh has become like an older brother to me.

"Okay, Rue. Be safe, stay away from the careers." Thresh tells me in a serious tone.

"Okay," I say.

Thresh puts a bag in my hands. Then I walk out of the protection of the tall grasses. Away from the protection of Thresh.

I can't help but wonder if Katniss was one of the two cannons we heard. As I walk by the Cornucopia, the place where this Game began, I notice the careers have turned it into their own private camp.

They all lay on the ground,hallucinating. I notice that Peeta, Glimmer, and Aqua, the girl from Tuna's district are not among the group. Leaving just Cato, Clove, Marvel, and someone I hadn't noticed in the group before, the boy from District Three. They have piled all their supplies into a giant pyramid, which makes it more tempting to steal from. I walk to a stream, and find Peeta burying himself in mud. Peeta has a bad cut on his leg.

I keep walking, and find myself where the nest fell. I find leaves for treating tracker jacker stings. I pick handfuls of them and put them in the pack Thresh gave me. I pick some more of those berries from home. I keep walking and find Katniss laying on the ground. I walk closer to her, and kneel down next to her.

I fall asleep on the ground next to her. Days go by, as I take care of her. I make a sling shot so I'm not completely vulnerable. It works pretty well, actually.

I notice Katniss begin to stir. Panic sets in, she could kill me. I hide behind a tree as Katniss wakes up.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

I panic. I keep running away from Katniss but she's walking in my direction, so I hide behind a tree.

Katniss stops at a stream and fills her water container. I realise she isn't hunting me down. She doesn't even know I'm here. She strips down to her under cloths I turn away as washes herself. She eats some food. And polishes the blood from her arrows.

She retreats her burns, re braids her hair, and puts her damp cloths back on. She shoots a groosling. She builds a small fire and cleans the meat and plucks the feathers from the grooslling. She is putting the groosling over the fire, when I shift behind the tree, snapping a twig.

She turns to the tree, bringing her bow over her shoulder. Then her shoulders relax a bit and she grins. I close my eyes tight. I knew I shouldn't have watched her this long. Now she will kill me.

"You know, they're not the only ones who can form an alliance." she tells me. I let her words sink in and let one of my eyes peek out from behind the tree.

"You want me for an ally?" I ask her in disbelief.

"Why not? You saved me with those tracker jackers. You're smart enough to still be alive. And I can't seem to shake you anyway." she says. I have kind of wanted to be her ally. "You hungry?" she asks. I swallow as I look at the meat. "Come on then, I have two kills today."

My eyes scan her. I find the pin on her cloths. A mockingjay, in the middle of a circle, holding an arrow in it's beck. I think I can trust Katniss.

I slowly walk out from behind the tree. "I can fix your stings." I say gently.

"Can you? How?" Katniss asks.

I dig in the pack Thresh gave me, and pull out the leaves.

"Where'd you find those?" she asks.

"Just around. We carry them when we work in the ochards. They left a lot of nests there. There are a lot here too." I say.

"That's right. You're District Eleven. Agriculture." Katniss says. "Ochards, huh? That must be how you can fly around the trees like you've got wings." I smile, she notice me before. "Well, come on then. Fix me up." she says as she sits down by the fire, and rolls her pant leg, to the tracker jacker sting on her knee.

I put the leaves into my mouth and chew them for a minute. Then I take the wad of chewed leaves and spit, and press it to her knee. "Ohhh." says Katniss.

I giggle. "Lucky you had the sense to pull the stingers out or you'd be a lot worse."

"Do my neck! Do my check!" Katniss begs. She see the burn on my arm. "I've got something for that." Katniss says, pulling the ointment out, she put it on my arm.

I sigh. "You have good sponsors."

"Have you gotten anything yet?" she asks me. I shake my head. "You will, though. Watch. The closer we get to the end, the more people will realize how clever you are." she says turning the meat over.

I look at her. "You weren't joking, about wanting me for an ally?" I ask.

"No. I meant it." she says.

I smile. "Okay." I hold out my hand, we shake. "It's a deal." I say.

I wonder how long this deal will last. There is only one victor. I give Katniss a root I found, to give the meat flavor.

We eat quietly. "Oh." I sigh. "I've never had a whole leg to myself before." I say.

"Take the other." she says.

"Really?" I ask. She tells me to take whatever I want because she can get more.

I look at the leg. "Oh take it." she says and reassures me it's fine. I finally except it shoving it into my mouth.

"I'd have thought, in District Eleven, you'd have a bit more to eat than us. You know, since you grow the food." Katniss says.

My eyes widen. "Oh, no, we're not allowed to eat the crops." I tell her.

"They arrest you or something?" Katniss asks.

"They whip you and make every one else watch. The mayor's very strict about it." I say. "Do you get all the coal you want?"

"No. Just what we buy and whatever we track in on our boots." Katniss says.

I nod. "They feed us a bit extra during harvest, so that people can keep going longer." I tell her.

"Don't you have to be in school." Katniss asks.

"Not during harvest. Everyone works then." I say.

We lay out our food, so we can split it. "You sure this is safe?" Katniss asks me rolling a berry in her fingers.

"Oh, yes, we have them back home. I've been eating them for days." I tell her, popping a handful in my mouth. We divide the food in case we're separated. Then, we show each other what we got from the Cornucopia.

"I know it's not much, but I had to get away from the Cornucopia fast." I say remembering Tuna falling to the ground. Dead. Cato smirking at me. Was he gonna kill me next?

"You did just right," Katniss says spreading her things out. I gasp when I see she has glasses for the dark.

"How did you get those?" I ask

"In my pack. They've been useless so far. They don't block the sun and they make it harder to see." Katniss tells me.

"Those aren't for the sun, they're for darkness." I tell her. Then I tell her about the boy form my district, Martin, who hid his in his pants and was killed on the spot.

"They killed a boy for taking these?" Katniss asks.

"Yes, and everyone knew he was no danger. Martin wasn't right in the head. I mean, he still acted like a three-year-old. He just wanted the glasses to play with."

"So what do these do?" Katniss asks.

"They let you see in complete darkness. Try them tonight when the sun goes down." I tell her. Katniss gives me some matches and I give her some of the leaves. We kill the fire and head upstream.

"Where do you sleep?" Katniss asks me.

"In the trees." I tell her.

"In just your jacket?" Katniss asks.

I hold up my extra pair of socks. "I have these for my hands."

"You can share my sleeping bag if you want. We'll both easily fit." Katniss says as my face lights up. This alliance is more than I hoped for.

We pick a tree and get settled in once the anthem starts. There were no deaths today.

"Rue, I only walk up today. How many nights did I miss?" Katniss whispers while covering her mouth.

I take the cue from her to do the same. "Two. The girls from District One and Four are dead. There's ten of us left."

"Something strange happened. At least I think it did. It might have been the tracker jacker venome making me imagine things. You know the boy from my district? Peeta. I think he saved my life. But he was with the careers." Katniss whispers.

"He's not with them now. I've spied on their base camp by the lake. They made it back before they collapsed from the stingers. But he's not there. Maybe he did save you and he had to run." I say.

Katniss is quiet for a moment. "If he did, it was probably just for his act. You know to make people think he's in love with me." Katniss says.

"Oh." I say. "I didn't think it was an act."

"Course it is. He worked it out with our mentor." Katniss says and the anthem ends.

I'm don't think this is true he seemed like he really did love her.

"Let's try out these glasses." Katniss says putting them on. "I wonder who else got a pair of these."

"The careers have two pairs. But they've got everything down by the lake." I say. "And they're so strong."

"We're strong too." says Katniss. "Just in a different way." Katniss adds.

"You are. You can shoot." I say. "What can I do."

"You can feed yourself. Can they?" Katniss asks.

"They don't need to. They have all those supplies." I remind Katniss.

"Say they didn't. Say the supplies were gone. How long would they last?" Katniss asks. "I mean, it's The Hunger Games right?"

"But Katniss, they're not hungry." I say.

"No, they're not. That's the problem." Katniss agrees. I nod. Katniss and I stay quiet for a minute. "I think we're going to have to fix that, Rue."

I snuggle up against Katniss and fall asleep.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

I open my eyes, Katniss is asleep still. I slip out of the sleeping bag, careful not to wake Katniss. I jump across the trees. I pick some kind of water birds eggs from the nest. Katniss has been so generous about giving me the extra groosling leg last night, so I want to find breakfast for us this morning.

A cannon bombs, announcing another death. Katniss sits up. We wait for more cannons to go off, but they don't.

"Who do you think that was?" Katniss asks me.

I look at her and think. "I don't know. It could have been any of the others. I guess we'll know tonight."

"Who's left again?" Katniss asks.

"The boy from District One. Both tributes from Two. The boy from Three. Thresh and me. And you and Peeta." I say. "That's eight. Wait, and the boy from Ten, the one with the bad leg. He makes nine." I think there's another tribute but neither of us can remember who it was.

"I wonder how the last one died." I say.

"No telling. But it's good for us. A death should hold the crowed for a bit. Maybe we'll have time to do something before the Gamemakers decide things have been moving too slowly." Katniss says. "What's in your hands?"

"Breakfast." I say holding the two eggs out so Katniss can see.

"What kind are those?" she asks.

"Not sure." I say, looking down at the eggs. "There's a marshy area over that way. Some kind of water bird." I tell her.

We don't light a fire, because it's not worth the risk. Instead, we suck out the insides of our eggs, eat a rabbit leg, and some berries.

"Ready to do it?" Katniss asks, pulling out her pack.

"Do what?" I ask, bouncing up, ready to do whatever she planes.

"Today we take out the careers food." Katniss says.

Hope fills me again. I remember our conversation last night. "Really. How?" I ask.

"No idea. Come on, we'll figure out a plan while we hunt." Katniss says.

We don't hunt much, however. I just tell Katniss about the careers camp. And how the boy from District Three is now helping the careers out.

"What weapons does he have?" Katniss asks me.

"Not much that I could see. A spear. He might be able to hold a few tributes off with that, but Thresh could kill him easily," I tell her.

"And the food's just out in the open?" Katniss asks. I nod. "Something's not quite right about the whole set up." Katniss says.

"I know. But I couldn't tell what exactly." I say.

"Katniss, even if you could get to the food, how would you get rid of it?" I ask.

"Burn it. Dump it in the lake. Soak it in fuel." Katniss pokes my belly. "Eat it!" she says causing me to giggle.

We did up roots, and gather berries, thinking of a plan. I tell Katniss about my five siblings. "What do you love most in the world?" Katniss asks me.

"Music." I reply.

"Music?" Katniss asks. "You have a lot of time for that?"

"We sing at home. At work, too. That's why I love your pin." I say pointing to her mockingjay pin.

"You have mockingjays?" Katniss asks.

"Oh, yes. I have a few that are my special friends. We can sing back and forth for hours. They carry messages for me." I say.

"What do you mean?" Katniss asks.

So I tell her about how I signal the end of the work day out in the field, back in District Eleven.

Katniss takes her pin off and holds it out to me. "Here, you take it. It has more meaning for you than me." Katniss says.

"Oh, no." I close her fingers over the pin. "I like to see it on you. That's how I decided I could trust you. Besides I have this." I say pulling my wooden necklace out of my shirt. "It's a good luck charm." I tell her.

"Well, it's worked so far." Katniss says pinning the mockingjay back. "Maybe you should stick with that."

We come up with a plan by lunch, and by early afternoon, we get ready to carry it out. Katniss helps me set up the first two campfires. I will make the third myself. We will meet afterward were we ate out first meal together. Katniss makes sure I have food and matches. She also insists I take her sleeping bag.

"What about you? Won't you be cold?" I ask.

"Not of pick up another bag down by the lake." Katniss says. "You know, stealing isn't illegal here." she grins.

I teach Katniss my four note song. So we can use in as a single. "I might not work. But if you hear the mockingjay singing it, you'll know I'm okay, only I can't get back right away." I say. "Haven't you seen them? They've got nests everywhere." I say.

"Okay, then. If all goes according to plan, I'll see you for dinner." Katniss says.

I throw my arms around Katniss. After a moment, Katniss hugs back. "You be careful." I say.

"You too." Katniss says. Katniss turns and heads back to the stream. I watch Katniss for a minute and walk to the first camp fire.

I'm worried about Katniss, I would hate for them to kill her, even though there is only one victor. I'm sure I couldn't win, so it's either Katniss, Thresh.

I wait hours, giving Katniss time to get to the careers camp. I ignite the match and throw it into the wood pile, starting the first fire. If this works, Tuna will be avenged. The careers will have no food. Katniss will be a greater threat to the careers. I can't let her down. I watch as smoke starts to rise. I grin and run to the second fire.

I retch the second fire and slow down. I wait minutes and throw another match into this fire. I begin running away.

I hear explosions going off and stop in a clearing. What is that? The careers food? I'm about to start running again, when a net entangles me and I trip, falling to the ground. The end is near for me.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

The careers come near me arguing. "I don't have time for this!" Cato shouts.

"Yeah, let's go check out our camp." Clove says.

"We can't just leave her here, she might escape." Marvel points out.

"If she escapes, we'll catch her again. She's so small. I bet she isn't strong enough to get out of the net." Cato says.

"Marvel, we can come back later." says Clove.

"Fine." Marvel mutter. The careers walk away.

"Katniss!" I scream.

I hear footsteps again. Marvel bursts through the clearing. "Katniss?" Marvel asks. "Is he your ally?

"Yes." I say quietly.

Marvel grins and runs off again. "Cato! Clove! She's Katniss's ally! All you care about is food! You're not fun!"

I roll my eyes and struggle under the net. Several minutes pass. A cannon goes off. Is it Katniss? The seal appears in the sky. The boy from District Three's face shows up. Then the boy from Ten appears, he must have dinner this morning. Then the sky goes dark. Katniss is alive. But where is she.

Later, I footsteps, I roll my eyes and sigh. Marvel approached me again. "Hi." I say.

"Hello, Rue. Guess it's just you and me." he says. "Let's wait for you ally, okay? Then I'll kill both of you. And Cato and Clove will be grateful."

I close my eyes and fall asleep. I dream of my siblings. Playing somewhere safe, where no one can hurt them.

I wake up. Marvel sits next to me. It's early in the morning. "Sleep well?" Marvel asks me.

I roll my eyes. "She's a lot smarter than you."

"So? I've got a weapon." Marvel says sticking his tung out at me.

Marvel finally gets impatient. "That's it! I'm gonna hunt her down." Marvel walks into the woods. "Stay there." he says laughing. I wait a long time before I make any noise.

Finally, I sing my four note song. This won't work. I take a deep breath and scream as loud as I can. I wait a few seconds. "Katniss! Katniss!" I scream.

"Rue!" I hear Katniss shout. "Rue! I'm coming!"

I hear someone running from the other direction. The direction Marvel left in. I can hear them both running my way. I close my eyes. Two people will die now. And I'm one of them.

Katniss bursts into the clearing. "Katniss." I say reaching my hand through the net, just as Marvel reaches the clearing, and throws the spear into my stomach.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

It feels like I have just been cut in half. I open my eyes as Marvel falls to the ground, an arrow in his neck.

"Are there more?" Katniss asks.

"No." I say.

"Are there more?" Katniss didn't hear me.

"No." I keep telling her until she hears me.

I roll to my side. Katniss pulls out her knife, and cuts the net off me. I reach my hand out to her, she grabs my hand immediately. She holds it like she is dieing instead.

"You blew up the food?" I ask.

"Every last bit." Katniss says.

"You have to win." I say looking up at her.

"I'm going to. Going to win for both of us now." Katniss says.

I smile.

A cannon fires. It's Marvel's. Katniss looks up. I tighten my grip. "Don't go." I say.

"Course not. Staying right here." Katniss says and pulls my head on her lap. She brushes my hair behind my ear.

I think about District Eleven. How I said I wanted to be sung to while I was dieing, well, now's the time.

"Sing." I say. Katniss is quiet for a moment. She coughs then begins to sing a lullaby.

_Deep in the meadow, under the willow_

_A bed of grass, a soft green pillow_

_Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes_

_And when again they open, the sun will rise._

_Here it's safe, and here it's warm_

_Here the daisies guard you from every harm_

I smile at my sister's name. Daisey.

_Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true._

_Here is the place where I love you._

I close my eyes.

_Deep in the meadow, hidden far away_

_A cloak of leaves a moonbeam ray_

_Forget your woes and let your troubles lay_

_And when again it's morning, they'll wash away._

_Here it's safe, here it's warm_

_Here the daisies guard you from every harm_

_Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true._

_Here is the place where I love you._

Everything is quiet, then the mockingjays start singing the song. In my head, I wish Katniss and Thresh good luck.

Suddenly, it's like the chains of the Capitol are broken. Now I run to freedom as fast as I can. Afraid I will be pulled back into this cruel world. Then, I'm as free as a mockingjay.


End file.
